It was a scene that had many names: some original members referred to themselves as punks, others, new romantics, new wavers, the bats, or the morbids. “Goth” did not gain lexical currency until the late 1980s. But no matter what term was used, “postpunk” encompasses all the incarnations of the 1980s alternative movement. Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace is a visual and oral history of the first decade of the scene. Featuring interviews with both the performers and the audience to capture the community on and off stage, the book places personal snapshots alongside professional photography to reveal a unique range of fashions, bands, and scenes.

A book about the music, the individual, and the creativity of a worldwide community rather than theoretical definitions of a subculture, Some Wear Leather, Some Wear Lace considers a subject not often covered by academic books. Whether you were part of the scene or are just fascinated by different modes of expression, this book will transport you to another time and place.

“Terrific photographs, a wide range of interviews, and an international perspective on the goth phenomenon make this an original contribution to the field of subcultural studies.”

Mick Mercer, goth and postpunk journalist

“This ingenious sifting of Gothic culture and the noir side of Post-Punk, involving the bands, clothing, hair, artwork and audience comes closer to a distillation of being cool than any book I have seen. A shared identity across time and geographical distance, with no visual link essential, is hard to describe but easier to visualise when handled in such a deft manner. We can see it here. Wonderful images, some now bordering on nostalgia, merge into a seductive whole, with the text providing an imaginative delving into time and places, with frequent nods to unrecognised talents, or fascinating context, such as Spain’s La Movida. Surprises burst out of every section, haunting and inspiring. This is your life, your inner history and, to others, essential mystery.”

For more information, or to order this book, please visit https://www.press.uchicago.edu